Innholdsfortegnelse for June 2019 i Hemmings Muscle Machines

1971 PLYMOUTH HEMI ’CUDA PRICE Base price......................................................................................................................$3,155 Options on car profiled..............Hemi engine ($883.90); AM/FM stereo radio with tape deck ($337.05); four-speed manual transmission ($198.10); A33 Track Pak ($137.80); power windows ($101.30); Rallye gauges ($76.75); leather seats ($62.55); console ($53.05); power brakes ($41.55); elastomeric front bumper ($40.70); quarter-panel sport stripe ($37.55); tinted glass ($36.85); light group ($35.75); rear spoiler ($34.35); six-way manual seat adjustment ($32.20); rear window defogger ($28.90); racing mirrors, left remote ($25.75); road lights ($21.05); High Impact Paint ($13.85) ENGINE Type........................Chrysler Street Hemi, OHV V-8, cast-iron block and cylinder heads Displacement.........................................................................................................426-cu.in. Bore x stroke.....................................................................................................4.25 x 3.75 in Compression ratio........................................................................................................10.25:1 Horsepower @ rpm...........................................................................................425 @ 5,000 Torque @ rpm............................................................................................490 lb-ft @ 4,000 Valvetrain...........................................................................................Hydraulic valve lifters Main bearings...................................................................................................................Five Camshaft type ...........Chrysler hydraulic-lifter type, 284 degrees duration advertised, 241 degrees duration @ .050,…

1968 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS S HOLIDAY COUPE PRICE Base price.....................................................................................................................$2,801 Required per Ram Rod Package ............................ L74 325-hp 350-cu.in. V-8 ($33.70); W31 air induction ($263.30); M21 close-ratio four-speed manual ($184.31); N10 dual exhaust, ($30.23); G80 Anti-Spin rear axle ($42.13); G89 heavy-duty 4.33:1 axle package (21.06); Y72 heavy-duty cooling system ($57.93). ENGINE Block type..................................................Oldsmobile low-deck “Generation II” OHV V-8; cast-iron block and cylinder heads Displacement.........................................................................................................350-cu.in. Bore x stroke................................................................................................4.057 x 3.385 in Compression ratio..........................................................................................................10.5:1 Horsepower @ rpm............................................................................................325 @ 5,800 Torque @ rpm............................................................................................390 lb-ft @ 4,000 Valvetrain........................................................................Hydraulic lifters; “308” camshaft Main bearings...................................................................................................................Five Fuel..............................................Rochester Quadra-Jet 750-cfm four-barrel carburetor Lubrication..................................................................................Pressure; gear-type pump Electrical............................................................................................................................12 V Exhaust ...............................................................................................................Dual exhaust TRANSMISSION Type.........................................................................Muncie close-ratio four-speed manual Ratios ......................... 1st/2.20:1 … 2nd/1.64:1 … 3rd/1.28:1 … 4th/1.00:1 … Reverse/2.27:1 DIFFERENTIAL Type...............................Oldsmobile (O-type) 12-bolt “Anti-Spin” limited-slip differential Ratio................................................................................................................................4.33:1 STEERING Type.....................................................................................Recirculating ball; power assist…

CHRYSLER’S COMPACT A-body chassis had been around since the fall of 1959, but it took a few years before it was worthy of being included in muscle car territory: It gained a V-8 in mid-1964, and an available four-barrel carburetor for the ’65 model year. But the Plymouth Barracuda Formula S, the sporting version of Plymouth’s genre-pioneering yet slow-selling fastback, promoted handling (Blue Streak tires! Stiff suspension!) as well as outright performance from its 273 cubic inches. Dart ads mentioned the increased power only in passing until 1967, just as muscle car mania was getting white-hot. The vibe in the Dodge ads was always the same: Hey, this is a spunky little car. Plymouth’s ads were always a lot racier. By 1967, Dart and Barracuda were redesigned, and big-blocks were…

1970 FORD TORINO COBRA PRICE Base price....................................................................................................................$3,270 Options on car profiled (factory)....370-hp 429-cu.-in. V-8 ($164); C6 Cruise-O-Matic automatic ($39); tachometer ($49); power front disc brakes ($65); power steering ($105); tinted glass ($36); color-keyed racing mirrors ($26); Rim-Blow steering wheel ($39); bucket seats ($133); console ($54); AM radio ($61); sport wheel covers ($58) ENGINE Block type......Ford 385-series; 90-degree OHV V-8; cast-iron block and cylinder heads Displacement.........................................................................................................429-cu.in. Bore x stroke.....................................................................................................4.36 x 3.59 in Compression ratio............................................................................................................11.3:1 Horsepower @ rpm............................................................................................375 @ 5,400 Torque @ rpm............................................................................................450 lb-ft @ 3,400 Valvetrain.............................................................................................................Solid lifters Main bearings...................................................................................................................Five Fuel system ...................................... Holley 4150-series 780-cfm four-barrel carburetor Lubrication..................................................................................Pressure; gear-type pump Electrical............................................................................................................................12-V Exhaust...............................................................................................................Dual exhaust TRANSMISSION Type............................................................Ford Toploader close-ratio four-speed manual Ratios .......................... 1st/2.32:1 … 2nd/1.69:1 … 3rd/1.29:1 … 4th/1.00:1 … Reverse/2.32:1 DIFFERENTIAL Type............................................... Ford 9-inch with Detroit Locker “No Spin” differential Ratio................................................................................................................................4.30:1…

TH700-R4 VERSUS 4L60E TRANSMISSION Q:I have an ’85 Chevy C-10 Silverado that originally had a 305 with a TH-350 transmission behind it. Long story short, I blew up the engine, so now I’m looking to upgrade to a 350 Vortec, so I figured this would also be a great time to upgrade my transmission, too. I have an extra transmission laying around, and all the information I can find suggests that it is the TH700-R4 — it does have the 16-bolt square pan, but I can’t find a casting number on it. That said, it came out of a 1993 Chevy Caprice that was being used by my city as a prisoner transport vehicle, and it had a 305 Vortec in front of it, but all the information I can…

Coping with rust and its effect is an ongoing battle for most of us, especially when working on older cars and trucks, so we’re always open to trying something new if it promises to help treat or even just prevent oxidation. A sample of USA Fluid showed up, billing itself as a “supreme penetrant preservative coating,” and making various claims about the ability of the product to lube, penetrate corrosion, and prevent future oxidation from occurring.The packaging goes on to say that the product is nontoxic and noncorrosive, containing no acids, no Teflon, no silicones, no chlorides…. We’ll admit it sounded like a cure-all product, even asserting to be a suitable engine-top-end lube and even a fuel stabilizer. But, examining some of the testimonials was interesting. USA Fluid is aimed…

NO ONE WILL MISTAKE Concord, North Carolina, for an arctic climate, but having an auction held entirely indoors in January makes for a nice respite during the winter months between car show seasons. Tom Mack Auctions conducted its annual winter event January 12 at the Cabarrus Arena & Events Center in Concord, including a swap meet and car corral all under the roof, inside and perfectly climate controlled. With excellent turnout and seats filled, Tom Mack sold 75 cars out of 114 offered, along with a host of automobilia lots, reporting a total sale of $1,200,000, not including buyers’ premiums. Though the topseller was a 1974 Jaguar E-type V-12 at $69,550 (inclusive of buyers’ fees), followed by a 1958 Chevrolet Impala convertible at $54,000, there was no shortage of muscle…

CADMAD, A 1959 CADILLAC ELDORADO BROUGHAM STATION WAGON, TAKES THE 2019 RIDLER AWARD Cadillac never asked Pinin Farina to build a station wagon variant of its 1959 Eldorado Brougham, but as this year’s Ridler Award winner Cadmad demonstrates, perhaps it should have. The custom won a posthumous victory for its late owner, Steve Barton, at the 2019 Detroit Autorama. Built by Jordan Quintal II and Super Rides by Jordan, of Escondido, California, the starting point was a 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham, with a body handcrafted by Pinin Farina in Italy. Just 99 examples were built for 1959, at a price nearly double that of lesser Eldorado models. To this base, Quintal grafted on the roof of a Pontiac Safari station wagon, though the process wasn’t that simple. To carry on…

“Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light.” DYLAN THOMAS, WHO WROTE the above passage before his untimely passing in 1953, never had the chance to sample the smoldering performance of a dual-quad, 425-hp Mopar Hemi on full boil. He missed out on the thrill of being pressed back in a high-backed bucket seat as torque and g-forces conspired to pull his cheeks back, to tighten his stomach involuntarily, and to fill his ears with the unmitigated roar of power and motion and anger. Yet his eternal paean, an admonition (if not an outright order) to live life hard and fast, and to go out with a bang rather than a whimper,…

LARRY SPEICHER IS A BONA FIDE ROCKET MAN. Not because of a career within the aerospace industry, or a nickname earned through stick-n-ball field prowess while in high school. No, Larry is a Rocket Man because of his rich Oldsmobile heritage. A native of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Larry’s father — who owned a furniture store — was advised to buy new cars through the business rather than personal means. Recognizing the tax benefits, the elder statesman of the family went to the Oldsmobile dealership just down the road. “That was in 1961, and my father became a loyal Oldsmobile client,” Larry explains. “My brother, Jack — who is eight years my senior — and I were car guys, so aside from the road test magazines, we were always reading about the…

FROM A STYLING PERSPECTIVE, there are certain cars from the muscle era that are universally viewed as pinnacle examples. Think of the ’68-’70 Charger, ’69-’70 Mustang Sportsroof, and ’70-’71 Barracuda as but a few. To be sure, not many people are apt to nominate the ’65 Chevelle for consideration to this group of elites, but that’s just fine with Dale Hodson. You see, Dale has had an affinity for this era Chevrolet intermediate for at least 50 years. It was 1968 when he bought a ’64 El Camino that he still owns to this day, and yet, the car you see here, is only the second ’64/’65 he’s owned. “I bought this car in 2002 after searching for the right project for a couple years” Dale says. “I’ve always been…

When Dale Hodson was mulling over purchasing this ’65 Malibu on a murky night in 2002, he could see from the intact cowl tag that it was an original Super Sport model. Keep in mind that in ’64 and ’65, the Malibu SS package was available with both six-cylinders and V-8s, with the second and third characters of the five-digit code on the upper left of the tag (which are also reflected in the VIN) telling the tale. For example, in Dale’s situation, the tag reads “13737,” the first “37” denoting six-cylinder SS. For comparison sake, a V-8 SS would have read “38” in the same location, while a straight-up ’65 Malibu six-cylinder would read “35.” As top-of-the-line models, ’65 Malibu SSs received deluxe exterior trim, bucket seats, console and…

AT THE BURGER JOINTS, gas stations, and hangouts of Main Street America, Chrysler’s 1966-’71 426 Street Hemi captivated gearheads each time a raised hood revealed a pair of Carter AFBs and the giant black-crackle-finish rocker covers of the orange “Elephant.” On dragways, abandoned airstrips, highways, and backroads, its exhibitions of speed secured its performance legacy. The hemispherical combustion chamber had existed for a long time prior, however. It had been employed by others, including Chrysler (the 426 was its second-generation Hemi). After developing the design for the military during WWII, the Corporation refined it for use on its new V-8 for 1951. The 331-cu.in. FirePower (hemi) debuted with an impressive-for-its-day 180 hp, and for 1955, the Chrysler 300 was named for its 331’s 300 hp. It grew to 354-cu.in. for…

EACH SEPTEMBER, a 1970 Torino appears in the lanes at Mid-Michigan Motorplex, home of the annual Pure Stock Muscle Car Drags. The short story here is that the Ford — a Cobra in the striking combination of Bright Yellow with a blacked-out grille and matte-black shaker hood — is owned by a “kid” in his mid-40s from the north side of Detroit, whose day job as an audio engineer affords him the ability to thrash the 429-powered intermediate through two solid days of track time. But there’s more to this street serpent and its owner than meets the eye. “I’ve always liked the style of these Torinos,” says Chris Jones. “My father worked at Ford as a mechanical engineer for 35 years and had one back in the day as…

RESTORING ANY CAR, MUSCLE OR otherwise, takes dedication and focus, but some projects are more demanding than others. Take Keith Adelsberg’s now-lust-worthy 1967 SS 427. Fullsize Chevrolets are trickier and pricier to restore than their stablemates, due to a smaller supply of parts. Plus, the SS 427 is a bit uncommon, with just 2,124 produced. Bigger cars are also more physically demanding. They take up more room in the shop. Their long panels require extra time to strip, straighten, sand, and finish. They have a bigger appetite for all those expensive body and paint supplies, too. Furthermore, Keith set the bar particularly high with this car and he cleared it, scoring record points at judged National Impala Association meets. But his exacting standards cost him plenty: more time, more money,…

2018 DODGE CHALLENGER SRT DEMON GT SPIRIT MODELS/ACME DIECAST • 715-874-6037 • WWW.DIECASTMUSCLECARS.COM • $149.95 The limited-production Challenger SRT Demon was arguably the most audacious American car yet built in this century, and its eye-popping specifications and single-minded purpose made it an instant collectible and future classic. The diecast experts at www.acmediecast.com have teamed up with GT Spirit to produce a detailed 1:18-scale resin model of this hottest Dodge for the USA Exclusive collection. A small number of those — production is estimated to be 376 — will be painted Plum Crazy Purple (item US014), like our sample. While it has no opening panels, this is a highly detailed collectible with slotted brake rotors and Brembolabeled red calipers behind black wheels, a legible instrument panel with engine-turned bright trim,…

MODERN. DYNAMIC. HIGH-IMPACT.ON STEROIDS. BRIGHT. VIBRANT. RETRO. ASPIRATIONAL. ALSO, GREEN. Ford keeps feeding us dribs and drabs of non-information about the 2020 Mustang, due in the fall. The horsepower ratings remain unspoken. But this month’s news: new colors! Twister Orange and Grabber Lime (shown on the upcoming GT500, confirmed to have more than 700 hp though not exactly how much more) will be part of the new color palette. According to Ford’s color and materials manager, “This color traces back to a Mustang heritage color while bringing it forward with more modern, dynamic pigments and bold new energy.” The press release also included the words “high-impact,” “on steroids,” “bright,” “vibrant,” “retro,” and “aspirational,” in case the pictures didn’t get the point across. The “heritage color” that inspired the new Grabber…

A lot of people were happy to hear that the 4-4-2 was getting a swap from the 400 to the 455, but the original engine configuration went from a rev-friendly “over-square” design to an emissions-conforming “under-square” design. Facing reduced rev capability, a lot of drag racers considered other options. The Ram Rod 350, as it’s known because of the one-year-only decal, retained the over-square design with a margin for increased track performance that made our racers happy. To meet NHRA homologation rules, Olds raced 50 of these “junior” muscle cars into production so that they could legally compete in the Winternationals, then another 510 were built to meet their Stock category rules for the season. A lot of people discount the Ram Rod because it has a small-block, but its…

ENGINE By now you are hopefully aware that AMC produced its own engines (and most other components) and that the AMX 390 is completely unrelated to the Ford 390. If an AMC V-8 resembles anything, it’s contemporary Buick V-8s — particularly the cast-aluminum timing gear case incorporating the oil pump. That’s a weakness in older AMC engines: The oil pump can wear too badly to be rebuilt. New cases are available for about $250. The 390 in the SC/Rambler is identical to that found in the 1969 AMX, including reinforced mains and a forged crank and rods. TRANSMISSION AMC did outsource transmission production. Coupled to the 390 via a 10½-inch clutch was a close-ratio Borg-Warner T-10 four-speed gearbox. The original muscle car trans, the T-10 dated back to the 1957…

IT’S NO WONDER CHRYSLER CORPO- ration became so well known for its muscle cars, particularly its engines, in the 1960s. After all, from the very beginning, Chrysler had existed as an engineering-driven corporation. Within years of its founding in 1925, Chrysler pioneered a long line of American production car firsts: hydraulic four-wheel brakes, high-compression engines, unit-body construction, an aerodynamic body, and so much more. During World War II, Chrysler engineers learned of the benefits of a hemispherical combustion chamber while developing an experimental 2,500-hp, V-16 aero engine. When it came time to introduce its first OHV V-8 following the war, Chrysler debuted the FirePower in 1951 with those hemi heads, and a legend was born. By 1955, the Chrysler C-300, equipped with dual-quads on its 331-cu.in. Hemi, produced 300 horsepower,…

WHEN IT COMES TO restoring a vehicle, an assembly manual can show exactly how it is pieced together, but it won’t illustrate the logistical and human variables involved with the moving assembly line. Regardless of the manufacturer, factories left their impression on the cars that rolled out of them, from the paper trail that followed a vehicle down the line to unique assembly procedures and the inspection marks that verified all those procedures had been followed. Sweating those details during a restoration separates the merely good ones from the best. More than returning a vehicle to original specifications, the replication of factory assembly details and inspection elements elevates the restoration to make it a true reference of originality. That’s where we are with the project outlined here. It’s the restoration…

When I bought this Cobra, racing was the furthest thing from my mind. I’ve thought about it from the standpoint of, ‘You know, the Torino doesn’t make a great race car because it’s so darn heavy,’ [Editor’s note: 3,774 pounds without options] and I’ve thought switching to a Mustang would be better, but this is just such a fun car to run with. I don’t drive it on the street much—I swapped in a 3.25 Traction-Lok rear all of twice since buying it, but it turned the car into a pig—so it’s pretty much my race car now. I’m currently working on a driver: a 1970 Torino GT convertible with a factory 351 Cleveland/four-speed combo. Like I said, I love the styling, and you can bet I’ll take the GT…

WHEN WE EMBARKED on the project to repower the Hemmings ’69 Chevelle, we knew the most challenging part was likely to involve fitting the new 4L85E transmission into the car’s unmodified transmission tunnel. Though our Chevelle came with a Turbo Hydra-Matic 400, the largest automatic offered in a GM passenger car during that period, the 4L85E, which was designed years later for use in trucks, is even bigger. We stipulated that no permanent alterations would be made to the Chevelle through this process, so if the 4L85E was going to be part of the package, it would somehow have to fit in the available space. To that end, we used an aftermarket transmission cross-member from G-Force to mount it. The new crossmember is designed expressly to put that transmission into…

STORAGE SOLUTIONS AQUASORB/MDS ASSOCIATES • 800-274-4637 WWW.CARSORB.COM • $9.99 (SINGLE); $29.99 (FOUR PACK) CarSorb is a moisture absorber that you can put in your car to keep condensation at bay. The nonleaching automotive-grade humidity absorbers safeguard your car’s interior from mold, mildew, and corrosion that can come about from humid storage conditions. CarSorb is used by many transportation companies, preservation museums, dealerships, and car collectors. Each 7 x 11-inch pack is certified to absorb moisture for 90 days with no wastewater by-product. MOPAR WATER PUMPS MR. GASKET • 866-464-6553 • WWW.HOLLEY.COM • $189.95 Aluminum 35-gpm electric water pumps are now available for big-block Mopars from 1958 to ’79. These are a great way to add consistent cooling to your Hemi, Max Wedge, or other Chrysler big-block. The electric…

MARCH MADNESS! FROM FLORIDA TO ARIZONA, MUSCLE CAR SALES HEAT UP THE LAST WEEKS OF WINTER In a little more than 20 years, the Amelia Island Concours has become not only one of the most prominent events on the East Coast, but also one of the most important March destinations for collector-car auctions, as several of the big names gather for some high-profile sales. While these events usually focus on European sports cars to make headlines, muscle cars did make their presence known with bidders. Russo and Steele found a new home for a wicked 711-hp 1969 Mustang Boss 429 that we featured on these pages back in November for $231,000. Another restomod, a Hemipowered ’70 Dodge Charger, sold for $68,800. Two original Shelby Cobras also found new garages at…